Beebe announced Wednesday that North Little Rock attorney Jeff Priebe would serve as a special justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court for the appeal filed by Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. The governor made the appointment after Associate Justice Elana Wills recused from the case.

Echols is challenging his convictionand death sentence on several grounds, including juror misconduct and new DNA evidence. The court has previously upheld the men's convictions.

No date has been set, though the court has agreed to hear oral arguments in the case.